Large, high speed rotor



Aug. 4, 1931.

lR. A. BAUDRY LARGE HIGH SPEEDv RoToR Filed Jan. 1Q', 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet` -l F im 5%.

INVENTOR Rene/4, Ba fd/y -AT'ToRNEY Aug.' 4, 1931.

R. A. BAUDRY 1,817,054

LARGE HIGH SPEED RoToR I Filed Jan. 10, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5@W// HTW lNvENTo Her/e A. Baa/dr] ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 4, V1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REN A. BAUDRY, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE i ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA l LARGE, HIGH SPEED ROTOR Application filed January 10, 1929. Serial No. 331,582.

My invention relates to rotors for dynamo-y electric machines, and more particularly to large, high-speed rotors of fabricated construction.

In the manufacture of rotors for dynamoi electric machines, there is a constant demand for constructions which will give better performance, while, at the same time, there is a desire, on the part of the manufacturer, .to construct such rotors with a minimum amount of material.

Prior to the present time, a limitation as to size of dynamo-electric-machine rotors had apparently been reached which necessitated 'an inves'igation of the' possibilities of increasing the size of such members.

The latest constructions in the art yof manufacturin g rotors have taken the forms wherein the spider arms, in the case of fabricated 4 construction, and more particularly, in the case of cast construction, have been integrally united with the heavy rims which are subj ected to large centrifugal forces while being rotated. Large tensional strainsare thereby 4' imparted to the cent-ral hub connections of the radial arms, thus placing an undersirable limitation on the size of the rotor.

It is an object of my invention to provide a rotor with means forl relieving the radial tension in the spider arms by reason of centrifugal forces exerted by the rim.

It is a further objectofmy invention to provide a rotor wherein better utilization of material may be made and whichmay be run at higher speeds than those which have been l constructed heretofore.

runder compression. By virtue of the tendency for the rim to expand, when rotated, the arms are accordingly relieved of tension, at a predetermined speed of the rotor. Practically no stresses remain in the arms during and parially in section, of a portion of a large fabricated rotor embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on a plane represented by the line II-II of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a developed top plan view of a portion of the rotor, the rim being removed, showing the arrangement of the parts embodied in my invention,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a plate utilized in providing flexibility at the points where the rotor rim is attached to the spider,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view showing a novel feature of my invention,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, in elevation, showing a modified form of my invention, and

Fig. 7 is an elevational View, partially inv lines are'used to indicate the same places of welding that are invisible in the drawings.

In Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, is illustrated a rotor, constructed in accordance with my invention, in which a hub 11 comprises two cylindrical parts 12 'and 13 which are held in abutted or end-to-end relation by a cylindrical weld, indicated at 14. The hub 11 has flange portions 15 and 16, to which radial spider arms 17 having an H-section 'may be secured, as by means of bolts 18.

Adjacent spider arms are rigidly fixed to each other at the hub, by welding them to L gusset plate 19, as indicated at 20. In order to support the arms at their outer ends, rings 21 are provided, to which the arms are fastened by the welds 22 and 23, and by bolts 24..

Fil Y,

In assembling the spider portion ot the rotor member, the spider arms 17 and rings 21 are welded together, with the gusset-s 19 at the inner ends, as described. rlhen the whole is turned to the proper outside diameter and bored to the proper inside diameter, after which the two hubs 12 and 13 are pressed into place, bolted at 18, as described, and preferably also welded at 2li by means of fillet welds along the inner edges of the webs of tl c H-beam spider-arms 17.

A. slightly flexible plate 25 having beveled edges 2G, is welded, along the middle thereof, to the web portion .27 of each of the H- beam spider-arms 17 at the end thereof, as indicated at Q8, the construction of which is shown more clearly in Fig. 5. Perforations 29 are provided in the plate to make plugweld connections to the peripheries 'of the rings Q1 and to the lange portions of the H- beam spider-arn'is 17, as shown in F ig. 3.

ln order to support the ends ot' the plate 25, and to provide a guard for protection during transportation, a plurality of projecting members 31, having a T-section, are welded to the ring 21, with the flange facing toward the center of the rotor, in the manner indicated at A ring 33 is fillet-welded to the outer ends of the projecting T-bar pieces 531, and is also plug-welded to the plates 25, through recesses 3l at the ends of the latter.

A rim 35 oi the laminated type, as shown in Fig. 1, is provided, having dave-tail tabs 35 with which the plates have engagement. The rim 35 consists of punchings held together between end plates 37 by means ot'l bolts 38, as shown in Fig. 2.

The tlexible plates are provided with reces: 39 to facilitate the assembly of the laminations, whereby the dove-tail tabs 3G ot' the laminations may be passed therethrough, thereby making it unnecessary to slide the lamination the entire length ot' the plate.

The laminated rim supports salient pole pieces -12 which may be secured in position by dove-tail joints '-ll, as shown in Fig. 1.

In the particular embodiment el my invention shown in Fig. 1, I provide twice as many connecting plates Q5, between the rim 85 and the spider member, as there are spider arms 17. To supportthe connecting plates Q5 which are disposed mid-way between spider arms, I provide short ll-section pieces 15 having the same cross-section as the spider arms, but not long enough to extend to the hub. These short cross-H-bars l5 are connected between the rings Q1, and are attached to connecting plates Q5, in the same manner as the spider arms 17, as described above.

In assembling the rotor, the rim 35 is heated to a high temperature, by any suitable means, auch as a gas flame, or electric heaters, until it is expanded sulliciently to provide a space of about one-sixteenth of an inch be` tween it and the center ot each of thc flexible connecting plates 25, and, at the same time, the spider arms 17 are kept cool by any available means, such as by a cold pack. When the desired expansion is obtained, a wedge pin 48 is inserted between the rim 535 and the central portion of cach of the connecting plates, the thickness et the wedge pins being so cal culated that, when the rim cold and stationary, the spider-arms will be under compression with a force equal and opposite to the centrifugal torce which will be d veloped at a certain speed, which may be the. rated speed or a certain over-speed, according to the exigencies ot the case.

t will be noted that the flexible connecting plates 25 are slightly flexed, by this process, and that they support the weight of the rim 35 and transmit torque between the rim and the spider, without pulling outwardly on the spider arms 1,7, due to the expansion ot the rim, at high speeds,

In Figs. G and 7, is illustrated a more sunple construction, showing an application ot" my invention to solid-rim rotors. Adjacent spokes or arms 51 of H-section material are welded to hub plates 52, and to each other at the hub. as indicated at 53 and 54, respectively. The outer ends of the arms are tapered and their web portions are connected to lflexible plates 55, by fillet welds 5G between the webs ot' the spider-arms and the undersidcs olf' the plates.

A solid rim 57, having bolts 5S for carrying lield pole pieces 59, is secured to the plates at both ends thereof, by wclds G1. Each plate is provided with perfor-ations G2 so that it will not interfere with the heads ot the bolts utilized to tix the pole pieces. Consequently, upon rotation of the rotor, any ex- Dansion of the rim is not transn'iitted to the arm because of the flexibility provided by the iexilily-mounted plates In illustrating my invention, reference has been made to fabricated constriwtion, but it will be understood that. it has equal application to a. cast construction lor either the rim or the spider.

Also, it will be understood that my invention may readily be adapted to fly/wheels, or to any other application having to do with the rotation of large rim-mass at high speeds, and is, therefore, not entirely limited to rotors of dynan'io-electric machines.

It will be apparent. to those skilled in the art, that the foregoing, and various other. modifications may be made in the detailed arrangement of parts. but it is intemled to cover herein such modifications as Ytall within the spirit and scope ot my invention. as defined inthe appended claims. i

I claim as my invention:

1. A rotatable apparat-us comprising scparate rim and spider members and circumferentially disposed plates secured, at circumferentially aligned spaced points, to the rim and spidermembers,respectively, said plates lying against the end surfaces of the spider members, whereby said plates support the weight of the rim member and transmit rotational torque thereto or therefrom, without materially pulling outwardly on the spider member when the rim member expands, under expected speed conditions, due

to the centrifugal forces therein.

2. A rotatable apparatus comprising a spider member and a relatively massive rim member, the latter being of such nature as to tend to expand under centrifugal forces reon the spider member when the rim member expands, under expected speed conditions, due to the centrifugal forces therein.

3. A rotor for a dynamo-electric machine comprising a hub, spider arms secured to said hub, a laminated rim having circumferentially spaced, inwardly-projecting portions, slightly flexible plates secured to ends of said arms, each of which is in engagement with two of said portions of said rims at points in substantially circumferential alinement with the points of attachment between the plates and the arms, said plates lying against the end surfaces of said spider arms.

4. A rotor for a dynamo-electric machine lcomprising a hub, spider arms secured to said hub,` a laminated rim having circumferentially spaced, inwardly-projecting dove-tail portions, flexible plates engaging said portions and welded to the outer ends of said arms, along the middle region of said plates, at points in substantially circumferential alinement with the dove-tail portions, said plates lying against the end surfaces of said spider arms.

5. A rotor for a dynamo-electric machine comprising a hub, spider arms secured to said hub, a laminated rim having inwardlyprojecting portions, flexible plates recesslyengaging said portions, means for securing said arms to said plates, and separate means disposed between adjacent arms for resiliently supporting said rim.

6. A rotor for a dynamo-electric machine comprising a hub, spider arms secured to said hub, a laminated rim having inwardly-projecting portions, plates kiecessly-enga,f ,r`ing said portions, means for securing said arms to said plates, additional means for holding said arms in spaced circui'nferential relation comprising annular members, and means carried by said annular members for resiliently engaging said rim, between adjacent arms, in a manner similar to the above-recited means 'lor attaching each of said arms and including the utilization of above-mentioned plates. p

7. In a rotor member for a dynamo-electric machine, a hub, spider arms of H-section structural steel welded to said. hub, ya laminated rim, the inner periphery of which has inwardly-projecting portions, means for attaching said rim to the ends of said arms comprising plates rccessly engaging two of said portions and having elongated perforations along the middle thereof, the web portion of said H-section being welded to the middle of said plate, said pla-te being further welded at the flange portion of said iii-.section within the perforations and having notches in .its edge to aid in the assembly of said laminations.

8. In a rotor member for a dynamo-electric machine, a hub, spider arms of H-section structural steel welded to said hub, a laminated rim, annular members for holding the ends of the arms in spaced circumferential relation, plates welded to the ends of said arms and projecting voutwardly beyond said annular members, and a flange carried by saidannular means for supporting and protecting the outer ends of said plate.

9. A rotor for a dynamo-electric machine comprising a hub, spider arms secured to said hub, a rim, slightly-flexible plates having their two circumferentially extending ends secured to the inner periphery of said rim, and said arms being fixed' to said plates at points in substantially circumferential alinement with said ends of the plates.

10. A rotor for a dynamo-electric machine comprising af hub,l spider' arms secured to said hub, a rim, plates having their two circumferentially extending ends secured to the inner periphery of said rim, and the outer ends of said arms being welded tothe respective plates at a region intermediate said ends and iny substantially circumferential alinement with said ends of the plates.

11. A fabricated wheel comprising a hub, spider arms of structural steel of H-section, secured to said hub, a rim, resilient plates having their ends secured to the inner periphery of said rim, and the web portion of said H-section secured to said plates at a region midwaybetween the ends thereof.

l2. A rotor member comprising a hub, spider-arms and a rim, characterized by the fact that torque-transmitting plates are interposed between, and connected to, the inner periphery of the rim and to the outer ends iso of the respective spider-arms in a manner adapted to transmit tangential driving torques, the points of connection to the rim and sl'iider-arins, respectively being substancircnmterentially aligned.

l-S. A rotor member comprising a hub, spider-arms and a rim, characterized by the .tact that torqlie-transmitting plates are interposed between, and connected to, the inner periphery et the rim and to the outer ends ot' the respective spider-arms in a manner adaptd to transmit tangential driving torques, the points ot connection to the rim and spider-arms, respectively, being substantially circumterentially aligned, and characterized :further by the fact that the rim is shrunk onto the spider-arms with suiiicient tightness to prevent expansion out of contact therewith by reason of centrirugal forces at a predetermined speed which is at least as high as the normal rated operating speed of the rotor member.

ist. A rotor member comprising a hub, a plurality of spider-arms extending outwardly 'from said hub, an annular member joining the spider-arn'ls near their outer ends, to constitute a spider structure, and a relatively heavy rim surroundingr said spider structure, characterized by the fact that torqne-transmitting plates are interposed between, and connected to, portions of the inner periphery ot' the rim and portions of the onter periphery of the spider structure i u a manner adapted to transmit tangential driving toi-ques, the points of connection to he rim and spider structure, respectively, being` substantially circumterentially aligned.

l5. l rotor member comprising a hub, a plurality ot spider-arms extending outwardly from said hnb, an annular member joining the spider-arms near their outer ends, to constitute a spider structure, and a relatively heavy rim surrounding said spider structure, characterized by the fact that torque-transinittaig plates are interposed between, and connected to, portions ol the inner periphery ot the rim and portions ofthe outer periphery ot' the spider structure in a manner adapted to transmit tangential driving torques, the points et' connection to the rim and spider structure, respectively, being substantially cir c .nrferentially aligned, and characterized farther by 'he tact that the rim is shrunk onto the spider structure with snfiicient tightness to prevent expansion ontl of contact therewith by reason of centrifugal forces at a predetermined speed which is at least as high as the normal rated operating speed ot the rotor member.

l0. A. rotor member comprising a hub, a plurality ot radial spider-arms extending olilr-:ardly from said hub, annular members lining the spider-arms near their outer ends, nort intermediate radial pieces secured to said annular members between said spiderarms, a relatively heavy rim, and torquetransmitting plates interposed between, and connected to, the inner periphery ot' the rim and to the outer ends of the. respective radial arms and intermediate radial pieces in a manner adapted to transmit tangential driving torques, the points of connection to the rim and radial arms and/or pieces, respectively, being displaced circumferentially.

17. A. rotor member comprising a hub, a plurality of radial spider-arms extending outwardly -trom said hub, annular members joining the spider-arms near their outer ends, short intermediate radial pieces secured to said annular members between said spiderarms, a relatively heavy rim, and torquetransniittiug connections from the radial spider-arms and from the intern'lediate radial pieces to the inner pe `iphery of the rim, the said rim being shrunk onto the spider-arms and intermediate radial pieces with sutlicienttightness to prevent expansion ont of contact therewith by raison ot centrifugal forces at a predetermined speed which is at least as high as the normal rated operating speed of the rotor member.

ln testimony whereot1 I have hereunto subscribed my name this -ith day of January, 19:29.

REN A. BAUDRY. 

